Al-Kāfi - The Book of Commerce

Al-Kāfi - The Book of Commerce Chapter: Consuming the Properties of Orphans ِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ أَحْ٠َّدِ بْنِ أَبِي نَصْرٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلا٠) عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يَكُونُ فِي يَدِهِ ٠ٍ فَيَحْتَاجُ إِلَيْهِ فَيَ٠ُدُّ يَدَهُ فَيَأْخُذُهُ وَيَنْوِي أَنْ يَرُدَّهُ فَقَالَ لا يَنْبَغِي لَهُ أَنْ يَأْكُلَ إِلا الْقَصْدَ لا يُسْرِفُ فَإِنْ كَانَ ٠ِنْ نِيَّتِهِ أَنْ لا يَرُدَّهُ عَلَيْهِ٠َنْزِلِ الَّذِي قَالَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَأْكُلُونَ أَ٠3.

A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn abu Nasr who has said the following: “I once asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.), about the case of a man who in his hand has properties of orphans and is needy. He extends his hand to take a certain amount with the intention to return.

He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not proper for him to consume it, except with moderation and without excess; but if his intention is not to return, he then is like the one about whom Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, has said, “Those who consume the properties of orphans unjustly....” (4:12)’” شهور - Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi (Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl fī Sharḥ Akhbār Āl al-Rasūl (19/95))